Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-07-22
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
OLYMPIA, PRIDAY EVENING, JULY q. 1857
A Tempest in a Teapot"

A tempest in Teapot"
1t seems that our discounted Re
publican friends down the Sound man
fest all the avidity Of the Ora I'D Army
in Selling upon anything that affords
a prospect for making political capital.
The latest straw, like unto that which
in times of yore passed into proverb as
promising deliverance to the drowning
man, is that which appears in the IN
telligencer, under the title Preparing
for the Campaign" in which the trip
of Gov. Semple, Surveyor General
Breckenridge and Deputy Collector
Gwin Hicks to several points on the
Sound by private steamer, is made the
pretext for sounding the tocsin of
alarm to the faithful. To enable our
readers to Judge of the feverish condi-
ton of the Republican pulse, we re-
produce the article in this issue, salts
fled that it carries its own refutation.
The writer was invited to join the
expedition by two OF its projectors,
and in the somewhat protracted con-
versation that ensued at the time, not
one word was uttered indicating that it
had any other object in view than re-
creation, and to afford its participants
a more thorough knowledge of the
wants and adaptability of the several
points visited in the proposed cruise.
Governors Newell and Squire were re-
garded as faithful executives mainly
from the interest and zeal they mani
tested in making themselves acquaint-
ed with the varied resources of the
Territory, and doubtless the Surveyor
General may derive much information
that will be of practical service in trav-
ersing a region that must from circum-
stances be terra incognita to him.
Even Mr.. Hicks, q native of the Terri
tory, may CLEAN some knowledge that
will be of service to the Government,
by the few days diversion that follows
very opportunity a protracted season
of faithfully performed duty. The
writer was urged to join the party as Il
means of extending the usefulness Of
the STANDARD by an endeavor to in
crease its circulation at the points WIS.,
tied, but he, wisely, we think, conclud-
ed that his first duty was to the SUBJ
scribers already enrolled, instead of an
effort to subserve a purely selfish mo-
tive by taking shortcut to wealth
and prosperity.
Those who are acquainted with the
gentlemen who compose the so-called
junketing expedition" will not need
to be told that Gov. Semple has too
much sense to originate such Quix-
otto scheme; Gen. Breckenridge too
much modesty and all those other in
nate characteristics of gentleman to
give it his aid, and Collector Hicks too
much pride to act as mere fugleman,
as the Intelligencer's report represents
him to be. They all know that pre-
mature efforts are generally abortive.
They have all doubtless heard of the
homely smile of the individual who
bit off more than he could chew, and
his embarrassment, not to say utter
discontinue, as a very natural Sc
quence. They all know what an un-
certain commodity public opinion is,
and when a contract is made based
upon it, how extremely difficult it is
to deliver the goods in strict conform
ance with pledges. This all being
true, the conclusion irresistibly follows
that the Intelligencer has been hum.
plugged, and Mr.. White, who, when in
terviewed by that journal gave its
statement a quasi-endorsement, was
using it simply as the monkey used
the cats paw, to rake some of his
friends over the Goals.
1t is unnecessary to warn Demo
Gratis to place no confidence in such
absurd misrepresentation. They
know the tactics of the enemy, and
with what eagerness they seize upon
anything to stir up dissension amidst
their foes. Republicans may profess
to believe what is palpably false, with
an object in view, but those of the
party who seriously take any stock in
the fabrication are of the class easily
gulled, and it will be found that an in
ordinate wish for something to turn
up to change the fortunes of war has
resulted In the thought that it hal
really turned up.